Abstract
This essay explores the background of the Enlightenment and its role in leading to the French Revolution. Historians have competing ideas regarding the role of different factors in instigating the revolution. The question in consideration is whether or not Enlightenment ideas are direct and full triggers of the French Revolution. Through the examination of primary sources such as the Declaration of Rights of the Men and the Citizen as well as a variety of secondary sources, this work investigates the question and finds that Enlightenment ideas, especially the emphasis on natural rights and the yearning for democracy established upon the separation of power, served as a crucial factor. Yet flawed social structures were also important in causing the Revolution.
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